Taipei, Taiwan ROC

Life was unfair, to think that 1 Philippine peso was equivalent to 1 Taiwan dollar, yet everything that 1 Taiwan $ could buy was far better than anything I could buy with 1 PhP, including the air we breathe, the cold weather, the exotic natural food we eat, and the trees that surround Taipei’s tall and shiny buildings. 

We were then in a honeymoon phase—not our very first travel together outside the country—but this was how I discovered how she enjoyed cats and adventures like a little hike to see cats and statues of cats in Houtang, which was quite far from the city. I am such a lazy traveler, that I would much rather be inside a café staring at people; being creepy as a person is a favorite pastime, even abroad. My wife is the opposite. She’s a tourist, armed with the list and run, run, and see the world. But you know the story: we always end up being obedient. 

Taiwan has seemed like a dream, ever since we watched the Meteor Garden as grownups. So, first on the itinerary was to recreate those scenes, which we did not do. We stopped and remembered if those buildings and the trees were really the ones in Meteor Garden. But even without that intention, we loved large campuses, though, and the National Taiwan University (NTU) is like a city unto itself. We enjoyed it so much. It has the vibe of US campuses in the fall—the college buildings, the parks, the flowers, the trees, the falling leaves, the students wearing hoods, jackets, backpacks full of books, and bicycles. Some areas of NTU resembled the beautiful UP Diliman campus.

Just outside NTU was a beautiful city. I’m not sure why it wasn’t as crowded that day, but maybe it was because the city was well-planned and organized, or maybe it was because we didn’t really walk around; rather, we just took Uber cars from one point to another, no matter how far. We really didn’t want to waste time figuring out where and how to ride MRTs and buses, also because of the very cold weather, and walking around would literally bleed our noses, which I had on our first night. The only public transportation we took in Taipei was the Maokong Gondola crystal cable car, which overlooks tea plantations. Or was it public transportation? Given that there are quite a few stations, I believe the answer is yes. 

We enjoyed delicious, clean street food in their night markets, including the interesting Modern Toilet Restaurant, and the most unexpected authentic Indonesian restaurants. We both love Indonesian food, so discovering one by accident next to the Cosmos Hotel (near Chiang Kai-shek Memorial) was like finding a friend to lean on. And another visit to another authentic Indonesian restaurants the next day in Taipei Grand Mosque had made us even happier. 

I am not a fan of museums, but I enjoyed the Museum of Contemporary Art Taipei. I am not a fan of temples, but I also enjoyed the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Park with its huge, colorful temples and a beautiful garden (Obedient? Checked). I just want a nice spot, a chair, a table, a coffee, and to stare at people. I observed how the locals really communicated; were they loud? I heard Ilonggo in Starbucks, and Tagalog in KFC, but in McDonald’s, they were all locals, at least on those nights we craved a burger, and they were never loud. 

Taipei is a large city, like large, and when we were at the 101st floor observatory of Taipei 101, the city’s skyscrapers looked like miniatures. I thought that maybe God could see us from above, like tiny ants. Char. We waited for the sunset, and it looked like we were on a spaceship, but we were still very far from the sun. We weren’t satisfied, so we chased the sunset to a mountainous town called Jiufen, known for its alleys, narrow streets, and delicious peanut ice cream wrapped like a burrito. As we made our way back to Taipei, it looked as if we were in the sky, right next to the sun.

This is the Indonesian restaurant just outside the Taipei Grand Mosque.

one of the temples @Chiang Kai-shek

@Museum of Contemporary Art Taipei

We were outside the observatory @Taipei 101

Look how huge Chiang Kai-shek’s statue is inside his own memorial hall; those guards are real people.

@Modern Toilet Restaurant

This is the peanut butter ice cream wrapped in a lumpia cover hehe

Yatta, South Hebron Hills

This has been one of the best decisions of my life—to volunteer and live in a beautiful place, where not many people would ever dare to see. THE WEST BANK, THE PALESTINE.

Excited and definitely very afraid, were my emotions the first I stepped out of the public van, but everyone was amazed by my presence; the children called me ‘China.’ It was their first time, seeing someone from Southeast Asia, from ‘Filipin’ at that. Most of them never heard of my country, and when I explained, they said, ‘ah Malaysia’  but most of the time, I was called ‘China.’

Yatta or South Hebron Hills, is a beautiful ancient one, with huge yet humble homes of Palestinians, both modern and hundred-year-old cave homes. It has only one market, with fresh vegetables and fruits, and newly baked breads and pitas that perfumed the whole town. The city, especially during the market day, becomes a chaotic yet beautiful sight to see—women and men and children and teenagers, like the Italians, who yelled but sounded sweet to each other. The louder, the sweetest, I assumed.

I have met Palestinian friends, the sweetest people I know who would cook maqlubah (basically rice on top is lamb and eggplant and a lot more), falafel, baba ghanush (also eggplant, but they cooked it with a lot more love and pride), and a never-ending tea preparation because it is a huge part of their cultural identity.

BUT there was always a story to tell. Palestinians, the ones I knew and have lived with, were the most beautiful people on earth. They had interesting stories, not only the bad things that happened to them due to the Occupation, but the good ones—stories of their great memories of people no longer with them—in prison, immigrated to other countries, or others separated for many years and just simply cannot cross the border going to Jerusalem.

Kids and teenagers have always been curious to know who I am. And they would just showcase their talent. There was a teenager who didn’t know a single English word. He grabbed my hand, went to his room, and showed me his YouTube channel. He said his songs were for his best friend, who was, by that time, in prison. And he sang a rap song and showed me his best smile, knowing that one day, his best friend would sing beside him.

My favorite memory of Yatta, was our rooftop grilling time, at night, watching the stars so close, with coffee, barbecue and shisha on our side, plus Arabic music. Just a few steps and we can fly to the moon and the stars, but perhaps there was also a border up in between.

Like a fairy tale come true. But, there is no princess or prince in there; it’s actually a refugee camp.

Waking up early on a chilly morning on top of a hill, sleeping in a cave house.

That was me on top of our service car, on top of a hill, overlooking Gaza, but the poor camera I had, didn’t capture Gaza clearly.

In the town center, everything was almost white; the houses were made of white bricks, and so the public infrastructure.

Sunset, sunrise or just an ordinary day and night, the sky always has the attitude to showcase its beauty. Again, the West Bank and Israel are really, really close to the sky.

These were the talented and happy kids I met

A drawing in an orphan boarding school, where Palestinian children were taught of Santa Claus, and they sort of ask for their wishes and would bring gifts to them

One of the streets in the city, on a Friday morning. They observe Friday as a holy day, and their business days are Sundays to Thursdays.

One of the best things to do in Yatta, is walking and hike. We just kept walking the whole day, and we always imagined Jesus and the prophets walking just the way we did. BUT don’t be fooled by the beauty of the terrain; they were always in danger, not by snakes or scorpions or trained dogs to eat you alive, but because it is a Firing Zone. Palestinians are not allowed to even step on it.

My shepherding experience in Yatta was the funniest, yet a dangerous thing to do.

Look at that beautiful Palestinian clothing.

A textile store

The kid was watching over the Israeli Army keeping Palestinian kids and teenagers away from the vicinity of this ancient pool, because the settlers nearby were going to swim too. I also jumped in this ancient pool, where the water was believed to be coming from a cave.

Finally, this! A strong signage that greeted me before entering this beautiful ancient city of Yatta

My amazing group/housemates (Filipin, German, Norwegian, and Swiss)

P.S. By the way, this is my first post after 4 years, hugs!

Ramallah, West Bank

Taking the bus from Jerusalem going to Ramallah was quite an adventure. Ramallah is the de facto capital of the Palestinian Territory, and is just beside Jerusalem. But, the dividing Walls of the Occupation made the trip feel like Ramallah is a place on another planet—taking off the bus at a checkpoint and seriously staring at the Israeli soldiers looking at my passport—and thinking whether I was in the same bus, when reaching the other side of the Wall.

One thing I liked about taking the bus trip from Israel to the West Bank were the stories shared by stranger-foreigners and the stares we secretly shared every time we had to show our passports and answer possible questions from soldiers—sure, it was fine. When I stepped out of the bus, I was totally surprised.

Ramallah greeted me with people loudly talking to one another—like the Italians loudly talking a few steps away; and the smokes and smells of kebab inviting my senses to come and taste; and the number of cars moving like dancers—I literally stopped walking, smiled and at that very moment, I cherished the opportunity to see another world of people whom we rarely know. There I was, witnessing normal people busy with their own little ways in a beautiful, ancient city.

I stayed in St. Andrew’s Guest House in Al-Tireh district, a modern-looking part of the city, surrounded by mansions and luxurious residential condominiums. Here I had a glimpse of how their women were living luxuriously and modernly: Muslim women with no hijabs, women driving luxury cars, women puffing cigars in Zaman coffee shops, and women walking down the street in short sleeves and shorts. I have observed for 3 hours in Zaman, sitting and waiting for my colleague’s cousin to show me around.

A street tea seller in traditional costume.

That’s me in the Mahmoud Darwish Museum. Darwish is a famous Palestinian poet.

Olive trees are as old as hundreds, thousands and even centuries on this side of the world. Olive trees are synonymous with their identity. They would protect their olive trees, just as they would protect their children.

Friends of my colleague’s cousin; they were tourists, from Gaza.

Taybeh, a biblical town just a few kilometers from Ramallah. Taybeh, was named Aphram in the Bible.

The ruins of St. George’s Cathedral built during the 5th Century.

The famous Palestinian Beer that produces zero alcohol, like Cali.